Menu

Wed, 21 Feb 2018

Young Taekwondo ace Nino Ontoy has found a champion in Robinson’s.

Nino, 12, of Manx Taekwondo, has been steadily winning medals and titles in national and international competitions since he first began competing.

With the 2018 World Taekwondo Poomsae Championships on the horizon (the championships take place in Taiwan in November), Nino’s family recently appealed to individuals and organisations to lend a helping hand towards the practical costs of competing at such a high standard.

Fresh food wholesaler and retailer Robinson’s responded to the appeal by Nino’s father, Dominador ‘Dom’ Ontoy, and made a contribution that will help Nino to keep on achieving his dreams.

Island-born Nino began practicing the ancient martial art of Taekwondo at the age of five. Within a couple of years, he became the youngest Black Belt in the Manx Taekwondo Club. He is the current British Taekwondo Poomsae Cadet No. 1 and recently passed his third Poomsae Black Belt examination in Nottinghamshire, receiving a mention for Exceptional Performance. He has so far won 40 gold medals in major competitions, and many more awards and accolades besides.

In January, Nino represented Britain at the Sixth International Poomsae Open in Lille, France; this was one of several qualifiers that Nino must compete in, in order to reach the World Championships in Taiwan.

Father Dom comments, “Nino has come so far and accomplished so much for his age, and we are incredibly proud of him. We reached out to the Isle of Man community because the cost of competing internationally can be difficult for us to meet. We were over the moon that Robinson’s contacted us, and are so thankful for their kind gesture. Nino is committed to giving his best, encouraged by the support of his family, club, and generous sponsors”.

Speaking for Robinson’s, Katie Mathieson-Nelson commented, “Nino is an exceptional athlete, a great role model for young people, and a fine ambassador for the Isle of Man. We’re only too happy to support him, and will be cheering him on as he sets his sights on competing in Taiwan. We’re sure that there will be many more medals waiting down the line for Nino”.